Seating unit with formed cushion, and manufacturing method

A method of constructing a seating unit comprising steps of:

• providing a support panel with a concave front surface;
• providing a cushion of non-woven polymeric fibers engaging the front surface, the cushion being formed to have a shape with a rear surface matching the concave front surface and a cushion front surface defining a concave recess;
• assembling an upholstery sheet onto the support panel and the cushion, the upholstery sheet being tensioned across the concave recess to define a cavity;
• and
• thermally treating the assembly of the support panel, the cushion and the upholstery sheet to cause at least some of the polymeric fibers of the cushion to take on a relaxed state that both fills the cavity at the concave recess and that also stress-relieves the cushion and the upholstery sheet at upper corners of the assembly to cause a state of minimized tension.

A method of upholstering a support member with edges, comprising steps of:

• providing a cushion of formable polymeric fibers made from a flat blank but thermally reformed to have at least one formed edge;
• mechanically attaching the at least one formed edge of the cushion onto an edge of the support member;
• stress relieving and reforming the cushion by thermally treating at least the at least one formed edge with hot gases to rebond some of the polymeric fibers of the formed edge of the cushion while in the attached condition;
• and
• placing an upholstery cover over the cushion, wherein the upholstery cover has a sock shape, and wherein the step of placing an upholstery cover over the cushion includes pulling the upholstery cover onto the cushion and support member prior to the step of stress-relieving.